Cotton h



(ModeL) G.H.ALLEN.

STRAP LOOP FOR HAMES.

No. 267,126. Patented Nov. 7, 1882..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COTTON H. ALLEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STRAP-LOOP FOR HAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,126, dated November7, 1882,

Application filed April 21, 1852. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, COTTON H. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements in Strap-Loops for Hames, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hames for horsecollars and it consists informing the straploop with two of its sides converging somewhat towardthe attaching-bar of the strap loop, and forming at each end of said bara shield or guard, in the same line with and forming part of theconverging side bars of the strap-loop, the distance between saidshields being about equal to the width of the metal facing and woodenportion of the hame, whereby said shields or guards will lie partlyagainst the outer edges of both, thereby obviating the effects of theshrinkage of the wood and the unequal wear of the iron strap by whichthe loop is attached.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a frontelevation, showing one section of ahame, the strap-loops being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of oneportion of the device shown in Fig.6, illustrating the form ofstrap-loop heretofore in use and the manner of attaching it. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of my improved strap-loop detached. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of thehame, showing my improved loop attached.

A in the drawings indicates the hame, having the iron strap B carriedaround the ends of the hame to form a bearing,(], between the strap andthe extremity of the wooden portion A. D is the strap-loop, formed ofplain round wire and having a trapezoidal shape, the shorter of the twoparallel sides being inserted beneath the strap, as shown in Fig. 2;This construction, which is that heretofore adopted, is open to manyobjections. The shrinkage of the wood and the wearing of the partsresult in giving too great play to the loop, while its constant shiftingfrom side to side cuts away the edges of the strap and weakens thefastening.

Instead of this form of construction I make the hame strap-loop as shownat E in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. While preserving the same general form oroutline, I put more metal into that portion, a, which receives theleather strap, and upon each end of the opposite side, I), I form ashield or guard, 0, adapted to lie closely against the edges of thestrap B and wood A, as shown in Fig. 5. These shields or guards not onlycover the opening between the strap and the wood in which the loop isheld, but by preventing all lateral play they cause the tension to bemet squarely throughout the whole width of the strap B, and therebyinsure an equal wear of the bearing.

In the old form of strap-loop the insertion and tightening of thehame-strap is liable to push the loop to one side or the other, thuscausing the whole strain to fall upon one edge of the strap B,substantially as shown in Fig. 6. In my invention this objection iscompletely obviated.

I thus produce an article far more ornamental in appearance andefficient in use than has been hitherto known.

My invention is especially adapted to hames formed of wood and having ametal facingstrap which is doubled over the ends of the wooden portions,and whereby the loop is attached in the manner already described,

I am aware that hames have been made wholly of cast metal, with a loopwhich has the central portion of its attaching-bar cut away, theattachment being effected by either cold-shutting or clinching aroundsaid portion a prong cast upon the end of the ha'me, or by casting theend of the hame loosely around said bar; but this forms no part of myinvention, as a loop formed in this manner could not be applied to awooden hame.

In my invention the attaching-bar is of such a length that it extendsfrom side to side of the wooden end of the hame, and its metal facingand the guards or shields at the ends of said attaching-bar lie againstthe end of the wood and the edges of the facing-strap, said shieldsbeing in line with and forming part of the side bars of the loop. tionthe shrinking of the wooden portion will not cause a defective joint andunequal wear of the metal facing, and rattling or play of the loop willbe entirely avoided.

1 am also aware that cockeyes for harness-traces have been made withshields or IOC all

guards upon the ends of the attaching-bars, as eter than said bar, andbeing in line with and shown in patents of Y. Latta, No. 232,278,forming part of the converging side bars of dated September 14, 1880,and ofP.Phillippi, the frame, the whole being formed in one 15 No.133,117, dated November 19, 1872, and piece, substantially as set forth.

5 such form no part of my invention. In testimony whereof I havehereunto set; What I claim is my hand in the presence of two subscribingAs an improved article of manufacture, the Witnesses. strap-loop forharness-hames herein shown w and described, consisting of the frame E,hav- (JOTTON ALLEN [a ing an enlarged portion, a, and an attaching-Witnesses:

bar, b, provided at Its ends with the shields or HENRY S. BOWLER, guards0 0, said shields being of greater diam- CHARLES E. BAKER.

